More than a year has passed since an impaired motorist slammed into this beautiful building on South Park Place in Newark Ohio. Tenant businesses have been forced to close or move out, the owner has faced a battle with his insurance company, and because the driver was uninsured, even more time and expense has increased the burden on the building owner.
This is a nightmare that everyone can learn from. Thanks to the great coverage by Hannah Sparling of the Newark Advocate, we have a great many details to pass along to you.
"It’s been more than a year since a vehicle smashed into the building at 39 S. Park Place, but soon, the space will be ready to lease again.Workers are painting, replacing windows and the front door, fixing walls, and redoing trim. Then, hopefully in a week or two, the building can go back on the market, owner Gary McAnally said..."
"The building is believed to be the oldest on the south side of the Courthouse Square. It’s been vacant since April 2013, when a driver with a suspended license and no insurance drove the wrong way around the Square and smashed into the building, knocking out a support column. Police said the driver was cited for suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated..."
"“Even though I had building insurance, the driver had no insurance. ... It just takes a while,” (the owner) said."
See full article HERE
Lost income from rent. Hassles with the city building approval process. Out of pocket expenses. Businesses hurt and moved away.....what is the recovery period after a vehicle-into-building crash like this? In this case, 15 months before things are (mostly) back to normal. No physical injuries in this accident, but a great many economic, commercial, and personal damages -- which the driver will pay almost none of.
I hope that steps were taken to protect the building from another hit from another driver in the future -- it would be a shame for a century-old building to have to go through this all over again.